After relocating from Melbourne to Adelaide in late 2021, Francesco and Valentina Presacco, owners of the sustainable household and personal product business BioGroup, joined the South Australian Business Chamber to connect with the local business community.
Seeking growth and networking opportunities, they decided to participate in the Chamber’s new Business Fundamentals Program — an initiative designed to help small and family businesses enhance their knowledge, capabilities, and confidence in areas crucial to long-term growth and sustainability.
When the program launched, Francesco joined the inaugural cohort with the goal of improving their business strategies.
BioGroup initially started as an online, consumer-driven business under the Biocasa brand aimed at helping families introducing plastic free alternatives in their homes. The eco-friendly product line includes plastic-free laundry detergent strips, soaps, pet products, children’s games, and more.
Francesco reflects that the business thrived during the peak of online shopping in 2020, spurred by the pandemic.
“Biocasa worked very well at the beginning of COVID, when people were spending more time at home and shopping online,” he said.
However, as restrictions eased and customers returned to supermarkets, the business began to face challenges. But instead of seeing this as a setback, Francesco used his insights from the Business Fundamentals Program to pivot his business strategy.
“The program helped us transition to a business-to-business (B2B) model, and we’ve since added two more offers under the BioGroup umbrella,” Francesco said.
Biorollo, which focuses on compostable food packaging and label solutions for retail and commercial consumers, and Bioplay, devoted on working with companies, associations and councils to develop customised children games teaching sustainability principles.
“While we continue to maintain our business-to-consumer (B2C) model, our strategic focus is now on supplying supermarkets, cafes, catering and bakeries.”
Although entering the B2B market has presented its own set of challenges, Francesco believes the shift is starting to pay off.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort, and we’re beginning to see results,” he added.
“One of the biggest hurdles we face with larger businesses and entering supply chains is the lengthy testing processes and research and development requirements.”
Francesco’s official involvement with the Business Fundamentals Program concluded in early 2024, but the program continues to play an influential role in his business journey.
“One of the most valuable aspects was being part of a cohort of business owners all focused on growth and transformation,” he said.
“We still keep in touch and meet once a month, holding each other accountable for the lessons we learned during the program.”
The Business Fundamentals Program is an initiative of the Government of South Australia’s Office for Small and Family Business and is part of the South Australian Small Business Strategy 2023 – 2030.
It is specifically designed for established business owners who are looking to advance their business and knowledge.
The six-month program includes six interactive workshops, three of which are full-day, in-person sessions, and three are half-day online workshops. Participants are required to commit to three full days and three half days over six months.
The program focuses on building confidence, skills, and knowledge in strategic business growth areas through best-practice instruction, group activities, and practical case studies.
The total value of the program is $3,000, but it is heavily subsidized by the State Government. Applicants are required to contribute $500 plus GST to participate.
